we can’t ignore the ripple effects of an innovation that claims to take the hassle out of something as all-encompassing as a one’s period. the majority of menstruating humans experience their periods once a month, for a good 40 years of their lives. regardless of the physical impact that has on one’s day-to-day, there’s a dollar value attached to that experience. according to a overview done by Huffington Post, a person can expect to spend an average of $18,000 on menstruation-related care and supplies in HER LIFETIME.
enter thinx, a product that aims to take the guesswork out of the business of period-having– its super-absorbent underwear is helping to reduce dependency on the regular use of tampons and pads. so, what do we like about thinx, apart from their bold approach to creating a product that just may bring the feminine hygiene industry to its knees? first, think about the ways in which most menstruation-related products have been marketed until now; the classic image of the woman-on-her-flow while also on-the-go, laughing and skipping through her daily activities while wearing white freaking pants! not to mention, the near-ubiquitous ‘hush-hush’ standard for engaging in mere conversations about periods.
now, take a look at thinx and the way they’ve marketed themselves. where do you see it? where do you encounter it? damn near everywhere. because that’s where modern women are. subway stations; train cars; social media platforms; reading the news. they’ve brought bold and unexpected visuals, rhetoric that is both sharp yet poised, and highly personal storytelling to a space fraught with stigma, heteronormative stereotypes, and secrecy. it’s about so much more than selling underwear. it’s about changing the game entirely.
so, yeah. creating innovative healthcare technology while creating stigma-banishing conversations around menstruation? that’s a tall order, and they know it. their video promo ends, “if you’re thinking all of this is quite strange – that’s because it is. i mean, you try advertising period underwear.” bold mission, cheeky execution. we like it.